This application is a national stage of PCT/EP99/06252 filed Aug. 26, 1999 and is based upon German national applications 198 44 800.3 of Sep. 30, 1998 and 199 33 940.6 of Jul. 20, 1999 under the International Convention.
The invention relates to a method for producing slices from formable food masses, of which at least one mass is a cheese preparation, whereby a mass is brought into the slice form in particular by means of rolls, belts or plates.
It is known to produce a sausage from two different masses and subsequently to cut the sausage into single slices in which the different masses are delimited from each other and in particular visible as a pattern. It is further known to press slices of processed cheese into a flat layer within the film and only afterwards to press, seal and cut the strip, consisting of the cheese layer and film wrapping, into single slices.
The object of the invention is to provide a method of the type described at the outset by which, in a simple way, with a minimal reject rate and at high speed, slices can be produced from a food mass consisting of at least two different masses in delimited form, whereby the layers have a high degree of uniformity.
This object is achieved according to the invention in the manner that, after or during a flattening by pressing or flat application of the mass to form a layer of a certain thickness, the mass is not flattened at specified or unspecified points or is displaced to such an extent that depressions, holes and/or free areas occur at these points and that subsequently the depressions/holes/free areas are filled out by at least a second mass which differs from the first mass in type/kind, or color.
By means of such a method slices can be produced in a simple way from two different food masses, whereby these two masses are delimited from each other in order to create a pattern. With this method a broad variety of shapes can be produced, whereby, with a minimal reject rate, a high production speed and precision can be achieved.
According to the invention the method for producing slices from at least two formable food masses, of which one mass is a cheese preparation, involves flattening a first of the masses into a slice form by means of rolls, belts or plates. After or during the flattening by pressing or a flat application of the first mass to a layer of a certain thickness, localized deformations in the form of depressions, holes and/or recesses are worked into or remain in this mass at specified or unspecified points. A second mass is then rolled or poured into the deformations, the second mass differing from the first, in particular in color. The depressions/holes/free areas are worked into the first mass by means of a profiled tool, in particular, a profiled roll. The first mass can be applied when the projections of the profiled tool, particularly a profiled roll, are close to the support, in particular a cooling roll. The first mass can be rolled into a first layer on a cooling roll by means of a first roll. The free areas can be worked into the first mass, in particular, on the circumference of the cooling roll. Then, the second mass can be foiled onto the first mass layer on the circumference of the cooling roll by a third roll. In order to produce single slices, after production of the strip from at least two masses, the strip can be enveloped by a travelling film, which is sealed lengthwise, after which the mass is displaced crosswise in the region of the subsequent cutting points and the film is cut crosswise. In order to produce single slices, after production of the strip from at least two masses, the strip can be cut into individual slices and the slices can be packed individually, or the slices can be stacked and the stacks packed.